Multi-crore BCCI146;s office is 2BHK space!

Think humble existence, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI doesn8217;t exactly jump to mind. With the just-released balan...

2 min readMumbaiAug 23, 2005 12:00 AM IST

Think humble existence, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI doesn’t exactly jump to mind.

With the just-released balance sheet showing an annual net income of Rs 200 crore, the richest cricket board in the world is equally admired and grudged for its riches.

Yet the BCCI’s most obvious face—its administrative offices at Veer Nariman Road—easily qualifies as the most modest corporate headquarters.

Located, and almost hidden, in one of the several nooks of the massive Brabourne Stadium, you would miss the nameplate if you weren’t specifically looking for it.

Grilled doors and 21 steps—counted to avoid tripping in the dim light—precede this first-floor office.

Friendly, approachable officials cannot distract the eye from the peeling roof in the passageway and the desperately taped walls.

Files, though stacked neatly, cramp the shelves spread over one room, divided into three parts. Despite India drawing a blank in trophies in the last season, the nation’s net aggregate haul still commands one entire section.

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BCCI Executive Secretary Ratnakar Shetty admitted the headquarters are cramped considering the stacking area required but says day-to-day work is not being hampered.

‘‘Still, we do need more space, especially considering our stature and the paper overload,’’ Shetty said.

The Mumbai Cricket Association MCA offered to host the central headquarters at its Wankhede stadium premises in 2003. And MCA Joint Secretary Lalchand Rajput, who raised the issue at a recent working committee meeting in Delhi, said all sanctions had been procured.

nbsp;	DEEP POCKETS

		nbsp;	8226; Annual income 2004-05 Rs 200 crore 8226; Annual expenditure 2004-05 RS 170 crore Money spent on meetings 8226; Annual General Meeting Rs 18 lakh 8226; Other meetings in India Rs 43 lakh 8226; International meetings Rs 23 lakh Includes travel, hotel and food expenses Story continues below this ad On match fees to players 8226; International About Rs 9 crore ODIs: Rs 1.80 lakh, Tests: Rs 2 lakh 8226; Domestic per player Rs 20,000 per dayes	nbsp;

‘‘The BCCI had agreed in principle and there was a general consensus that the office should look better and have better facilities, especially when we have people visiting us from all over the world,’’ Rajput said.

He added that the MCA had offered a 10,000-sq ft area for a plush facility, complete with a conference room and library. “The matter will be pursued by the BCCI’s headquarters committee,’’ Rajput said, admitting that there had also been talk of shifting base to Delhi.

‘‘Almost all government offices relating to permissions and paperwork are in Delhi, but the MCA was keen on keeping it in Mumbai. The matter is under deliberation,’’ Shetty said.

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None of this means one will see a ‘We’re moving’ sign any time soon. ‘‘The BCCI had set up a committee to spearhead the relocation, but it has been disbanded. We will be setting up a new committee soon,’’ said BCCI Treasurer Jyoti Bajpai.

It is still not clear why the issue of renovating or relocating was brought up only as late as 2003. The subsequent delay was owing to the board finalising the new location.

The physical appearance and modest size of the BCCI’s administrative headquarters are neither a reflection of nor have any bearing on Indian cricket or the way the team plays on the field.

But when everyone seems to agree that a cosmetic change would be in keeping with the Board of Control for Cricket in India ’s stature and deep coffers, why is the world’s richest cricket board still stuck in a 2BHK?

What you can do with Rs 200 crore

	nbsp;	8226; Buy about 3 acres of prime mill land property in Mumbai, among the most expensive in the world, and fifteen 1,500-sq ft flats in South Mumbai. 8226; Buy 3,197 kg of 24-carat gold 8226; Can buy 8.6 lakh shares of software giant Infosys Technologies or nearly half of NIIT 8226; Can help foot the bill for the bidding cost of two Olympic games 8226; Buy Sachin Tendulkar’s marketing rights for 10 years	nbsp;

Shivani Naik

Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More

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